Anxiety: What is it exactly? Why is it affecting so many millions of people all over the world?
Where can we find relief from it? These are questions I see surfacing a lot since 2019
pandemic. It seems in the last couple of years, more people are coming out and saying how much
anxiety they are now dealing with on a daily basis. Anxiety can be caused by an underlying
health issue, or a side effect of a certain medication, but sometimes it goes deeper than that. So,
how can we get to the bottom of it, understand how it works and how can aromatherapy play a
part in anxiety?
Anxiety and the different forms
What is anxiety exactly? If you google the word “anxiety,” you will see that it is a feeling of
fear, dread, uneasiness, or an accelerated heart rate. Sigmund Freud often described anxiety as
unpleasant. Although there are many different definitions, and types of it, those who deal with
them would say it brings on a sudden shift of emotions and torment of the mind, to the point of
feeling paralyzed for what seems like an eternity. If we leave the realm of psychology and enter
into the realm of physiology, we can see the effects and origin of one’s anxiety (Freud, 2014).
When it comes to anxiety, there are a few different types. The most common one is the day-to-
day stress. This form of anxiety can be related to work, kids, bills, or your day to day life.
Almost everyone has had an experience on this level. This response is a normal anxiety that may
improve alertness and performance in high-demand situations (ie, fight or flight) (Peterson et al.
2021). Common anxiety can help us respond quickly to a dangerous or threatening situation.
Since this type of anxiety is normal and doesn’t appear to have any lifelong complications, it
doesn’t affect the cognitive functions of your nervous system. You are still able to think clearly,
your heart rate goes back to normal, everything that was alerted of the danger has now returned
back to functioning normally. If your normal, everyday routine seems to trigger anxiety more
often than you would like, you can always switch things around, and remember you are just one
person, and everyone needs to rest their brain and their body after a long hard day. Give yourself
time to relax and recuperate from all of your endeavors of the day.
Anxiety and the body
I know for me, when I feel anxious, it is usually because I have sat and thought about something
that I am unsure of or something that I have been dreading. When your body is under stress or
attacked by anxiety, the fight or flight response is awakened. In other words, by using the
physiological and behavioral responses, our brains are wired to let us know if something is to be
perceived as a life-threatening, or non-life-threatening situation (McEwen, 2006). Even if your
brain has perceived something as non-threatening, your body is still acting as if it is. Your heart
rate speeds up, your breathing becomes rapid, you may start to sweat, or become tense, or your
blood pressure may rise. All these functions are regulated through the hypothalamus. All of these
responses are using your physical body to adapt to what is going on in your head. The first thing
anyone tells you during anxiety or a panic attack is, “take a deep breath.” Which at the time can
seem a bit annoying and obvious, however it can actually have a big impact on your overall
physiologic health. A randomized study was conducted on the role of deep breathing in stressed
adults. It was concluded that “Deep breathing technique is capable to induce an effective improvement in mood and stress both in terms of self-reported evaluations (Perciavalle et al., 2017).
Aromatherapy and its effects on Anxiety
Aromatherapy can play a big part in helping you take control of your anxiety. There are a few
different methods of use when it comes to aromatherapy. Applying diluted oils to the skin,
massage therapy, diffusing, and using a personal inhaler. There are many oils that can be used in
helping to help reduce nervous tension, calming your thoughts, and relax your body. It is also a
good thing that you enjoy the scent as well. For instance, if there is a particular smell that you
enjoy, and it gives you joy, by all means use it. You will not want to use an essential oil of a
smell you don't admire. There are also some essential oils that can cause headaches. That is
something you would want to find out before exposing yourself to it all day. I always tell my
clients to rub the oil behind their ears, on their wrists, or onto their chest. These are great spots to
apply them because of your pulse points behind your ears and on your wrist, and applying to
your chest gives your nose direct access for inhaling into your lungs.
Although diffusing is a great way to unwind and relax, there are a lot of things to keep in mind
and it may be best to only diffuse when you are at home. The best time would be diffusing before
you start your day. Turn on your diffuser for about 30 minutes while you are having that cup of
coffee or cup of tea in the morning. Now you are ready to take on the day with a mind that is
focused and an inner self that is calm.
Conclusion
Aromatherapy isn’t a quick fix, or a way of treating or healing medical conditions. However, it
is a means of helping you to understand where anxiety is coming from and how to reduce the
stress in your life. Anxiety comes in all forms and is not a respecter of persons. It doesn't matter
if you have ever dealt with it before, or if you have dealt with it all of your life. There is help out
there and aromatherapy can be a great start to your journey of health and wellness.
Sarah Woods
Certified Aromatherapist
Citations:
Fraud, S. (2013). Inhibitions, Symptoms, and Anxiety. Read Books Ltd
McEwen B. S. (2006). Protective and damaging effects of stress mediators: central role of the
brain. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 8(4), 367–381.
https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2006.8.4/bmcewen
Minmin Gong, Hui Dong, Yueheng Tang, Wenya Huang, Fuer Lu,
Effects of aromatherapy on anxiety: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials,
Journal of Affective Disorders,
Volume 274,
2020,
Pages 1028-1040,
ISSN 0165-0327,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.118.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016503271933160X)
Perciavalle V, Blandini M, Fecarotta P, Buscemi A, Di Corrado D, Bertolo L, Fichera F, Coco
M. The role of deep breathing on stress. Neurol Sci. 2017 Mar;38(3):451-458. doi:
10.1007/s10072-016-2790-8. Epub 2016 Dec 19. PMID: 27995346.
Phyllis R. Peterson, Rodney Ho,
Nervous and Scared: Understanding Anxiety and Trauma/Stressor-related Disorders and
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders,
Physician Assistant Clinics,
Volume 6, Issue 3,
2021,
Pages 479-493,
ISSN 2405-7991,
ISBN 9780323791182,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpha.2021.03.002.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405799121000281)
Keywords: Anxiety disorders, Obsessive-compulsive Disorders, Interventions
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